Coach Supot, the sepak takraw manager, opens up about what happened as the Thai men's sepak takraw team lost to Malaysia, missing the gold medal for the first time in 34 years.
On 16 Dec 2025 GMT+7, Supot Tumpracha, manager of the Thai national sepak takraw team competing in the 2025 SEA Games, revealed the reasons behind the Thai men's team—18-time SEA Games champions—losing to Malaysia 1-2 and settling for silver. This is the first time in 34 years Thailand has missed the SEA Games gold since the 16th SEA Games in the Philippines in 1991.
The manager stated, “The players must accept the reality that they underperformed and did not meet their goals or play as they practiced. The team selection and management were correct, but mistakes may have occurred because the players were tense or overly focused on winning, which hindered their performance. This is something we must address moving forward.”
He observed that Malaysia’s tactical adjustments were not particularly elaborate; rather, Malaysia maintained their usual standard, while Thailand’s performance dropped. He admitted the Thai players simply could not perform well.
The manager emphasized that the Sepak Takraw Association of Thailand should implement three projects that Thai fans hope for:
1. Increase the number of competitions and tournaments.
2. Develop grassroots sepak takraw more extensively. Most current players are relatively older, and younger players are not advancing quickly enough, indicating past development efforts have been insufficient.
3. The importance of the Thailand League: The Thai Sepak Takraw League is crucial because nearly all successful Thai players emerged from this league. It offers long-term competition and strong development within the sport. He called for the league to be held again.
Regarding Malaysia’s tactical changes, the manager commented, “Their adjustments were not particularly sophisticated; the issue was our players’ inability to perform. Malaysia maintained their usual standard while Thailand’s level dropped.”